US firm bares all for sustainable apparel

Thursday, 16 August 2018

C&A reveals recipe for sustainable jeans range

DÜSSELDORF – Fashion retailer C&A has today launched a new range of sustainable jeans for sale in store, together with the details of exactly what materials they’ve been made from. The new jeans were designed in partnership with Fashion for Good and… Read More

Monday, 13 August 2018

Retailer launches elephant conservation range

NEW YORK – LALF has released a range on T-shirts which will donate 25 per cent of all sales to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a non-profit which supports elephant conservation and biodiversity preservation in Africa. Read More

Wednesday, 08 August 2018

Testing the water with sustainable swimwear

LONDON - In a bold move to find out whether consumers really do care about what they are buying and its impact on people and the planet, Lucy Drage, the former head of ethics and sustainability for clothing at Sainsbury’s, will launch her own range… Read More

Tuesday, 07 August 2018

Research calls for plastic hanger retail reform

SHEFFIELD – UK-based garment hanger recycler Braiform has published research claiming that the environmental impact of plastic clothes hangers can be just as damaging as recently-vilified single use plastics such as bags, straws and bottles.… Read More

Monday, 06 August 2018

Primark Pride T-shirt highlights supply chain hypocrisy?

DUBLIN – High street fashion retailer Primark has found itself engulfed in a debate regarding supply chain ethics after selling Pride t-shirts aimed at promoting LGBTI rights, despite the fact these garments were printed in nations where legislation… Read More

Thursday, 02 August 2018

Textile transparency – a burning issue

LONDON - In the wake of the news that Burberry admitted to incinerating millions of pounds worth of unsold and surplus luxury products to protect its brand equity, Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution, says it’s now time for all… Read More

Thursday, 26 July 2018

Fashion tourism a tool for sustainability implementation

MADRID – The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is ramping up its efforts to ensure that tourism is fully utilised as a medium by which sustainability messages – with a particular emphasis on the UN Sustainable Development Goals… Read More

Wednesday, 25 July 2018

High fashion brands unite for luxury roadmap

HONG KONG – A group of fifteen luxury brands have gathered at an event Hong Kong to discuss the global opportunities and challenges facing the higher end of the apparel sector. In addition to the meeting, a report has been published by members of… Read More

Tuesday, 17 July 2018

UN flags up forests for fashion initiative

NEW YORK – An ongoing event at the United Nations headquarters in New York during the 2018 High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on sustainable development is linking forest-based materials from sustainably managed forests, with the world of fashion.… Read More

Monday, 09 July 2018

Italian high fashion sustainability awards back for second year

MILAN - The Green Carpet Fashion Awards (GCFA) Italia - which seek out the sustainability-minded collections created in the luxurious world of high fashion - will this year be following a theme of ‘Handprint of Fashion’. A ceremony to mark the… Read More

Friday, 06 July 2018

Recycling reimagined

LONDON - Jack Ostrowski has been working with post-consumer textiles for over a decade and speaks to David Styles about his latest venture, reGAIN, an apparel recycling app with which he is hoping to build a circular fashion legacy. Read More

Thursday, 05 July 2018

Packaging circularity from start to Finnish

HELSINKI – Finnish apparel firm Makia has become the latest brand to ditch typical disposable e-commerce packaging and move to a reusable alternative made possible through a newly-established partnership with RePack. The RePack business model aims… Read More

Monday, 02 July 2018

‘Organic’ shirt from Target made of polyester and rayon

MINNEAPOLIS – Department store chain Target is currently removing a range of misleading t-shirts emblazoned with the words ‘100% Organic’ from some of its stores in the US, after it was noticed they were in fact made from a 50:50 polyester/rayon… Read More

Friday, 29 June 2018

ASOS partners with Centre for Sustainable Fashion on circular design

LONDON – Online fashion giant ASOS is partnering with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) at London College of Fashion to pilot a training programme on circular fashion for its designers. Read More

Friday, 29 June 2018

LVMH to cut ties with Edun

PARIS – French luxury group LVMH is to cut ties with eco-fashion label Edun and hand back its minority stake to the company, which was first launched by U2 star Bono and his wife Ali Hewson back in 2005. Headquartered in Ireland, Edun sources… Read More

Tuesday, 26 June 2018

Fashion for Good unveils PVH as latest partner

AMSTERDAM – Global apparel firm PVH Corporation has become the latest industry heavyweight to join forces with Fashion for Good, the fashion initiative which connects disruptive innovators with major apparel companies to enable the formation of… Read More

Friday, 22 June 2018

Changing the shape of fashion education

AMSTERDAM – “Everything starts with education” is how Leslie Holden, head of the fashion & design department at AMFI (Amsterdam Fashion Institute), began explaining the motivation behind launching a pioneering master’s degree programme for aspiring… Read More

Thursday, 21 June 2018

Zalando responds to NGO transparency claims

BERLIN – Online fashion retailer Zalando has responded to allegations made in a speech at the company’s AGM (Annual General Meeting) regarding a perceived lack of transparency in its supply chain. The claims were made by a representative of Femnet,… Read More

Wednesday, 20 June 2018

IKEA launches take-back pilot in Australia

TEMPE – Swedish homeware giant IKEA has debuted a take-back initiative which, if extended across its global network of stores, could extend the lifecycles of a vast quantity of home textiles. The initial phase of this trial will give customers at… Read More

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

John Lewis and Guess latest circular fashion converts

LONDON & LOS ANGELES – UK-based retailer John Lewis has launched a pilot ‘buy-back’ programme in partnership with recycling specialist Stuffsr. The scheme will be made available to a small number of customers as a precursor to rolling out a… Read More

Monday, 18 June 2018

Google invests in JD.com, concern on the high street

BEIJING – JD.com, one of China’s largest E-commerce firms, has announced that Google are set to invest around US$550 million in the company in order to advance a strategic partnership with the aim of developing a ‘personalised and frictionless’… Read More

Friday, 15 June 2018

Savers urges textile industry to adopt circularity

BELLEVUE – Following the release of the third State of Reuse Report by US apparel retailer Savers, the firm’s vice president of recycling and reuse spoke to Ecotextile News to discuss its findings and how the industry can transform its relationship… Read More

Thursday, 14 June 2018

Climate change focus for Hugo Boss white paper

METZINGEN – Fashion brand Hugo Boss has released its third white paper on environmental impact valuation, this time with a focus on – amongst other key issues – addressing the root causes of the firm’s impact on climate change. Environmental Impact… Read More

Thursday, 14 June 2018

Filippa K attracted by sustainable water-repellent

STOCKHOLM – Swedish fashion brand Filippa K has partnered with cleantech company OrganoClick and will market the firm’s water-repellent and biodegradable textile impregnation, OrganoTex, through its garment care product line. OrganoClick, a spin-off… Read More

Friday, 08 June 2018

Buckhill Capital investment boost for circular fashion firm

SAN FRANCISCO –Buckhill Capital LP has invested in The Renewal Workshop, a move it hopes will aid the circular economic system provider to further scale up its operations. The Renewal Workshop generates additional revenues for the apparel industry… Read More

Thursday, 07 June 2018

The North Face joins recommerce revolution

ALAMEDA – VF-owned outdoor apparel brand, The North Face has launched an online recommerce platform to sell its pre-owned apparel which has been washed, repaired and quality checked. The launch of The North Face Renewed has been described as a “big… Read More

Wednesday, 06 June 2018

US retailer publishes latest apparel reuse report

BELLEVUE – US apparel retailer, Savers has published the third edition of its annual State of Reuse Report to examine potential solutions to the mounting problem of textile waste which is beginning to be quantified in scientific research. Figures… Read More

Tuesday, 05 June 2018

UK campaign looks to raise textile microfibre awareness

LONDON –Hubbub, a non-profit organisation which promotes environmental causes, has established WhatsInMyWash, a campaign which is seeking to achieve the same kind of media exposure for textile microfibre pollution as has been received by single-use… Read More

Tuesday, 05 June 2018

Gucci to balance creativity with sustainability

MILAN – As part of a 10-year plan, global luxury brand Gucci has today launched a new initiative which it says can balance its creation and marketing of high-end fashion with a radical sustainability agenda. One where it aims to guarantee the… Read More

Friday, 01 June 2018

Finisterre launches microplastics campaign

ST. AGNES – British coldwater surf brand, Finisterre has launched a new ‘Microplastics’ collection which will see ten per cent of profits donated to Surfers Against Sewage. The company which this year celebrated its fifteenth anniversary has also… Read More

Wednesday, 30 May 2018

RePack pioneers postal packaging progress

HELSINKI – An innovative method of parcelling apparel purchased online has been developed by reusable packaging service, RePack. The business aims to minimise the volume of plastics and cardboard that end up in landfill as a direct result of… Read More

Tuesday, 29 May 2018

Fashion start-up uses AI to increase textile lifecycles

LONDON – A UK-based technology start-up is seeking to challenge the throwaway culture of ‘fast fashion’ by utilising Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help consumers in reusing and upcycling garments which they already own. Save Your Wardrobe has… Read More

Tuesday, 29 May 2018

New report seeks fashion sustainability blueprint

CAMBRIDGE – A new report has been published seeking to review consumer perception of the fashion industry and to assess the roles of businesses and consumers in promoting sustainability in fashion. Sustainable Fashion Blueprint 2018 was co-authored… Read More

Wednesday, 23 May 2018

H&M eyes South Africa as supplier

CAPE TOWN - H&M is looking at expanding its supply chain to South Africa, with executives from the world’s second largest clothing retailer set to visit some of the country’s main cities this week. Read More

Friday, 18 May 2018

Finisterre at 15

For the last 15 years, Finisterre and its founder, Tom Kay have been ploughing the furrow of sustainability in an industry which seemed to have viewed the perpetually growing mountain of disused wetsuits around the world as an acceptable evil. David… Read More

Wednesday, 16 May 2018

Patagonia to scale-up recommerce effort

VENTURA – Patagonia is about to enter the next stage of growth for its Worn Wear online store, where it sells its refurbished second-hand gear to keep consumers wearing stuff for longer, reduce consumption and lower the environmental footprint of… Read More

Wednesday, 16 May 2018

Filippa K adopts biological dyeing

STOCKHOLM – Swedish fashion brand, Filippa K, has partnered with biotechnology company, Colorifix and will integrate the UK firm’s biological dyeing process in the manufacture of its apparel later this year. Colorifix’s technology, which converts… Read More

Wednesday, 16 May 2018

CPH Fashion Summit: A new dawn for Chinese fashion?

COPENHAGEN – As a panel of Chinese textile industry representatives discuss the nation’s sustainability future at the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, a new report from China Water Risk has also provided a greater insight into the country’s governmental… Read More

Thursday, 10 May 2018

Fashion for Good recruits new technologies

AMSTERDAM – Fashion for Good (FFG) has welcomed three new participants to its Scaling Programme, a network of innovators established to fast-track the latest technologies for adoption across the apparel supply chain. Joining the likes of SoftWear… Read More

Wednesday, 09 May 2018

Sustainable pulse of fashion quickens – but not fast enough

COPENHAGEN – The second edition of the Pulse of the Fashion Industry report released today by the Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) and The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) says the business case for sustainability in the fashion industry has strengthened –… Read More

Tuesday, 08 May 2018

Retailer caught up in false ‘NZ made’ labelling debacle

WELLINGTON – Apparel brand, World has come under attack following an investigation which found that t-shirts sold by the company as ‘NZ-made’ were in fact manufactured in Bangladesh. The organisation, which has put ethical practices at the front and… Read More

Wednesday, 02 May 2018

Aquafil Econyl yarn in new Zoggs swimwear range

SURREY – At a launch event in London, UK-based swimwear brand, Zoggs has debuted a new 'Ecolast' range of apparel which will incorporate Aquafil's Econyl yarn, derived from discarded industrial waste. Read More

Wednesday, 02 May 2018

Avery Dennison seeks to avoid landfill with post-consumer patches

GUANGZHOU – Avery Dennison has collaborated with Fashion Revolution in order to create patches designed to enable consumers to mend garments easily at home, contributing to less apparel finding its way into landfill. The heat transfer patches, which… Read More

Friday, 27 April 2018

Pachacuti brimming with Fashion Revolution enthusiasm

ASHBOURNE – Pachacuti, the hat brand run by Fashion Revolution founder, Carry Somers has put into practice the spirit of supply chain transparency which the initiative seeks all apparel organisations to adopt. The ‘Imadeyourhat’ hashtag has been… Read More

Thursday, 26 April 2018

Fast Retailing commits to slowing deforestation with Canopy

VANCOUVER – Multinational retail conglomerate, Fast Retailing – which owns brands including Uniqlo – has joined the CanopyStyle initiative aimed at ensuring the textile supply chain works to protect some of the world’s most endangered ecological… Read More

Wednesday, 25 April 2018

France proposes law to tackle unsold clothing problem

PARIS – As part of France’s new Circular Economy Roadmap, the French government has proposed new regulations that would prohibit apparel brands and retailers from discarding or incinerating unsold items, and instead, require them to donate unsold… Read More

Wednesday, 25 April 2018

The North Face launches national park PET project

ALAMEDA – Outdoor apparel brand, The North Face has released the ‘Bottle Source’ collection which features a range of t-shirts and tote bags made from a blend of cotton and recycled PET derived from discarded water bottles in the United States’… Read More

Wednesday, 25 April 2018

Esprit first to sign Dutch-German sustainability agreement

DUSSELDORF – Esprit, which has around 50 stores in the Netherlands, has become the first fashion brand to become a signatory of the joint initiative between the German Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable… Read More

Friday, 20 April 2018

Partnership seeks shift to luxury fashion circularity

SAN FRANCISCO – Stella McCartney and partner firm The RealReal have launched an advertising campaign aimed at promoting circularity among luxury fashion consumers to coincide with Earth Day. 'The Future of Fashion is Circular’ ad is said to have… Read More

Thursday, 19 April 2018

Timberland studies sustainable shopping habits

STRATHAM – Timberland has conducted a survey of US consumers aimed at building a greater understanding of apparel purchasing habits, with a particular emphasis on the environmental motivations exhibited by shoppers. The ‘Wardrobe Values’ study asked… Read More